Indicator or display apparatus.



PATENTED JULY 5, 1904.

W. J. BAKER. INDICATOR 0R DISPLAY APPARATUS.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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APPLICATION FILED JULY 13, 1903.

'W'ifn 656 86 N0 MODEL.

O Fl PATENIED JULY 5, 1904.

w. J. BAKER. INDICATOR 0R DISPLAY APPARATUS.

APPLiUATIOH FILED JULYN, 1903.

SZBHEETS-SHEET 2.

no MODEL.

' UNITED STATES Patented July 5. 1904.

PATENT FFICE.

WILLIAM J. BAKER, ()F SOUTHGATLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO HUGO G. HESS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

INDICATOR OR DISPLAY APPARATUS- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 764,333, dated July 5, 1904.

.Applieation filed July 13, 1903. Serial No- 1.65,350. (Ne model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. BAKER, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Southgate, in the county of Campbell and State of Kentucky, h ave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Indicators or Display Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in indicators or annunciators, and more especially such devices as are adapted for indicating or visually announcing time and results at race-tracks and the like; and the object of the invention is to provide a device of this general character of a simple and inexpensive nature and of a light, strong, and compact structure which shall be capable of ready operation without requiring any particular skill on the part of the operator and wherein the liabilityof errors or of derangement of the working parts is reduced to a minimum.

The invention consists of certain-novel features of the construction, combination, and

arrangement of the several parts of the in1- proved indicator or annunciator whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device is made simpler, cheaper, and therwise better adapted and more convenient for use than various other similar devices heretofore employed, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

. The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which serve to illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a front elevation showing one form of indicator or annunciator embodying my improvements, and Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken transversely and horizontally through the device in the plane indicated by the linea a in Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged perspective views taken, respectively, from front and rear and showing cer tain details of construction of the indicating slides or members. Fig. 6 is a perspective detail View showing the structure of the detent devices for holding the indicating slides or members out of operation. Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the front portion of a modified form of the improved indicator or.

annunciator constructed according to my invention, and Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the rear portion of the same. Fig. 9 is a transverse section taken through the device in the planeindicated by line :11 a: in Fig. 10, and Fig. 10 is a rear elevation of the device as seen in Figs. 8 and 9. Figs. 11 and 12 are perspective views showing two forms ofindicating slides or members detached from the casing of the device, and Fig. 13 is a perspective view showing in detail one of the guide-strips at the back of the casing and between which the projecting extensions or wings of the indicating slides or members are adapted for play in the operation of the device.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 6, 1 indicates the casing of the device, which is, as herein shown, made in rectangular form from any desired material and has an internal vertical partition 2, by means of which its interior is divided into two compartments or chambers 3 and 4,

each of which is adapted to receive and house a set or series of indicating slides or members adapted when moved bya person operating the device to be presented at sight apertures or opening Sand 6 in the front wall of the casing, so as to be visible thereat. The chambers or compartments 3 and 4 are provided with vertical guide-plates 7 and 8, extended in them parallel with the front wall of the easing 1, and within said compartments or chambers and in front of the guide-plates 7 and 8 are arranged the indicating slides or members 9 and 10, there being in each chamber or compartmenta set or series of these slides or members, each formed of a flattened rectangular plate or piece of sheet metal or other suitable material. Plates 7 and 8 serve as screens to obstruct the view from the openings 5 and 6 when the indicating-slides are all up. The indicating slides or members of each set or series 9 and 10 carry indicating numbers or characters 11 11 and are adapted to slide vertically in the compartments or chambers in front face will be visible at the corresponding sight-aperture 5 or 6. In order to permit of moving the slides or members 9 and 10 independently one of the other, I provide each member with a side portion 12, extended rearward from one side of the body portion of the member and preferably at a right angle thereto, and the side portions are adapted to fit and play in the operation of the device in spaces at opposite sides of the guide-plates 7 and 8, the side portions of successive members in each series being arranged alternately at opposite sides of the respective guide-plates, so as to produce a nested structure as compact as possible. From the rear edges of the side portions 12 are extended inturned flanges 13, directed toward the central part of the respective compartments or chambers, being parallel with but behind the guide-plates 7 and 8, and the flanges 13 of each series are of graduated widths, as shown in Fig. 3, and each flange has at its inner edge or at that edge opposite to the side portion 12 a rearward extension 14, extended outward from the back of the casing and provided with a handle or th umb-piece 17, by means of which the corresponding slide or member may be moved bya person operating the device. Each thumb-piece or handle 17 is also preferably marked with a number or character corresponding with the number or character 11 upon the body portion of the slide or member,so'as to afiord a guide to a person operating the slides or members. Adjacent to the extension 1 1 each flange 13 has at its upper and lower parts alin'ed eyes 15 15, which are engaged with a guide-rod 16, there being one of such guide-rods for each slide or member extended vertically in suitable position at the back of the casing for engagement with such eyes 15. By this arrangement it will be seen that each indicating slide or member is guided upon its own guide-rod 16 and is caused to move evenly and smoothly when operated. The lengths of the slides or members measured vertically is also greater than half the extent of their vertical movement in the easing, by which means it will be understood that when either one of the slides or members is moved downward into indicating position its upper part will still be engaged with the other slides or members of the same series, so that when such slide is to be again raised in the casing it will move freely over and will not engage and bind upon the lower portions of the other slides or members in the same series. By this means the slides or members are maintained at all times in the nested arrangement shown in the drawings, while being capable of the vertical movement required in the operation of the device. Since the sight apertures or openings 5 and 6 are located at the lower part of the casing in this form of the device, it is evident that means must be provided for maintaining the indicating slides or members normally raised, so that the index characters or numbers 11 shall not be visible at said openings until the proper member or members shall have been released and moved downward in the operation of the device, and, as shown in the drawings, this retaining means comprises a latch or detent 19 for each member in each series, said latches or detents being pivotally held at the upper part of the back of the casing and being adapted for engagement when the members are raised in openings 18, formed in the upper parts of the extensions 14, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The upper ends of the latches or detents 19 are bent over, as shown at 20, to produce hook-like projections or handles whereon are marked index numbers or characters corresponding with the numbers or characters 11 upon the respective slides or members with which said detents or latches coact, and each latch or detent is provided with a spring 22 for pressing it normally in position for engagement with the opening 18 in the extension 1 1 of the corresponding indicating slide or member and also with two stop-pins 21 21 to limit opposite movements of the latch or detent when engaged with or disengaged from said opening 18.

In the operation of the device the several indicating slides or members in each series will of course be normally raised and held raised by the latches or detents 19, and when it is desired to indicate or announce particular numbers or characters at the respective sight-apertures 5 and 6 the slides or members 9 and 10, on which the required numbers or characters are marked, are released by operation of the corresponding latches or detents 19 to disengage them from openings l8,whereby the slides or members are permitted to fall by gravitation into the lower part of the easing, so that the numbers or characters 11 marked thereon shall become visible at the sight apertures or openings in the front wall of the casing. Since the front wall of the casing is smooth and plain, it is evident that any desired lettering may be produced thereon above the sight-apertures, such as may be required for indicating the signification of the numbers or characters displayed at said apertures in the operation of the device.

From the above description it will be seen that the device constructed according to my invention is of an extremely simple and 'inexpensive nature and is especially well adapted for use for the purposes for which it is designed, since it is of a strong, durable, and compact structure and has no parts liable to become easily deranged or broken. Also it will be seen that the structure is such as to afford the greatest possible size of the numbers or characters 11 upon the indicating slides or members commensurate with a moderate size of the casing, and the operation of the device is so simple as to require no particular skill or care on the part of the user except in back of the casing.

merely lifting the slides or members 9 and 10 loy means of their handles 17 until the latches or detents 19 again engage the openings 18 and serve to retain the slides or members out of operation until such time as they are to be again lowered.

ble of some modification without material departure from the prlnciples and spirit of the invention, and for this reason 1 do not W1Sl1 to be understood as limiting myself to the precise form and arrangement of the several parts of the device .as herein set forth in carrying out the invention in practice. For example, in Figs. 7 to 13 I have shown a modified form of the device wherein the casing is provided with but one set'or series of indicating slides or members. In this form of the device the casing 23 is formed with projecting feet 24: 24, whereon it is adapted to rest, and, has a single internal chamber 25, in which are held a single set or series of indicating slides or members 27, adapted to be moved vertically, so as to be visible at an opening or aperture 27 in the upper part of the front wall of the casing. The indicating slides or members are normally at the lower part of the chamber 25, and said chamber is provided with a guideplate 29 parallel with its front wall and in front of which the slides or members play when operated, and the slides or members 27 have rearwardly-extended side portions 34 alternately at opposite sides of the guide-plate 29, and the outer side portions 34 at each side of the guide-plate are provided, as shown in Figs. 9 and 11, with extensions 35, on which are provided handles 36, whereby the slides or members may be moved vertically in the casing, the several side portions 34 34: between said outer side portions being provided with flanges 38, directed toward the central part of the chamber, as shown in Figs. 9 and 12, which flanges have at their free inner edges extensions 35, also provided with handles 36. The back wall of the casing is formed from a plurality of metallic strips 30 30, having vertically-flanged edges, as seen in Fig. 13, and extended vertically on the back of the casing and separated by vertical spaces or channels in which the extensions 35 of the slides or members 27 project and play vertically, the upper and lower ends ofisaid strips 30 being perforated, as shown at 31, for the passage of pins 32 at top and bottom of the casing and on which the strips are held, transverse strips 33, secured by screws or the like across the back of the casing, serving to hold the said strips from dropping out of engagement with the pins 32. One or both of such transverse strips 33 may also have index numbers or It will also be obvious from the above description that the device is capa characters for the identification of the several.

slides or members, and the handles 36 thereof are also preferably provided with such index numbers or characters. For holding the slides or members normally in lowered position in the casing there are provided springs 37 37, held on the strips 30 in position to engage the upper ends of the extensions 35 when the slides or members are lowered, these springs having rounded portions for such engagement and the extensions being adapted to slide readily past the springs when pressure is applied to the handles to move the slides or members upward in the casing. The proportion of the parts is such that when either one of the slides or members is moved into raised position, as seen at the left in Figs. 8 and 10, the corresponding spring 37 will at onceslip beneath the corresponding extension 35 and serve to hold said slide or mem.

ber raised until pressure is applied to return it to its lowered position. The operation of the parts in this form of the deviceis similar to that before described, except that there is but one series of slides or members to be operated and that said slides or members re quire to he moved upward in the casing in order that their indicating numbers or charactors 28 may be visible at the sight-aperture 26 in the casing.

The indicating-plates 9, 10, and 27 of the several forms seen in the drawings are each provided along one edge with a beading I), which spaces the plates a suitable distance apart to prevent their rubbing against each other in their vertical movements, and thus protecting the painted surface and figures from scratching and abrasion. Since the indicating-plates of the several forms herein shown are adapted for movement endwise over each other with their beaded edges 7) in engagement, it will be evident that the em ployment of guides for holding said plates in proper position is wholly obviated, whereby the structureis rendered much simpler and a considerable economy is effected.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An indicator or annunciator comprising a casing having a wall provided with an opening and indicating members havlng beaded edge portions parallel and contacting with each other in the casing and movable in parallel directions to display them at said opening in the casing-wall.

2. An indicator or annunciator comprising a casing having a wall provided with an opening and indicating members arranged in a series in the casing and movable to display them at said opening in the casing-wall, alternate members of said series having at one side of the casing rearward extensions provided with handles. for manipulation of the respective members and the intervenlng members of the series havinglati the iopposite side of-the casing similar-rearward extensions providedwith handles fortheir manipulation.

3. An indicator orfannunciator comprising a casinghaving a Wall provided with an opening and indicatingmem'bers arranged in series in the casing and movable to display them at a said openingin the casing-Wall; alternate members of said series having at one side of the casing rearward extensions provided with handles for manipulation of :the respective membersand-the interveningmembers"of the series having at the opposite side of the casing similar rearward extensions provided'with handles for their manipulation and 'd'etentdevices at the back '0 f thecasing for engagement with theextensionsof the respe'ctivemem bers to hold them in adjusted position.

'4. An indicator or annunciator comprising a casing having a'chamber the front Wall of Which has a sight-aperture, indicatinginembers' movable in parallel planes in the cham-i her for display'at the sight-aperture,"exten-l of the casing, guiding devices at the back ofl the casing and engaged With said extensions} :and detent' devices-held on the casing fori "engagementiwith the extensions to hold -thei members from movement. l

5. An indicator or annunciator'comprisingl "a casing having a chamber provided with a ver- 1 tically -extended guide plate, said chamber havinga-sight-aperture in its f-ront wa'll, indicating members movable in parallel planes in front ofthe guide plate for d-isplay at the sight-aperture; side portions on the menobers extended rearwardly past the sides of the guide-plate and extensions on the side portions and having handles at the back of the *casing.

6. "An indicator or annunciator comprising "a casing having a chamber provided Witlr a vertically extended guide plate and 3 having a sight aperture in 'its front Wall; indicating members movable in parallel planes in front of the guide-plate for display at the sight- I aperture, side portions on themembers exi tended 'rearwardly :past thesides of the guide- WILLIAM J. BAKER.

I Witnesses:

Hnreo G.: Hnss, 'J'onN 1 ELIAS J ONES. 

